The Snake in the Heart
by CretianStar
Summary: Set in the Sixth Year. DracoxOC. AU. Overhaul of storyline. Originally The Princess of Slytherin. M for Language.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So this was my first fanfiction, but I'm changing it because I really didn't like the story line that much and it was a bit of a dead ender so I'm editing it ever so slightly, based from my scanty reviews as well!

Please do review it helps me so much!

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**Chapter 1**

Ava King stared at the corridors of Hogwarts, she'd been to the school for six years. Everything was going wrong, or at least it felt like it; She didn't want to think about her family issues but at school as well, for the first time ever she was struggling, and she hated it!

It was as she sat there musing in potions that she forgot all about Severus Snape, one of the most feared teachers of the school, also her enemy when it came to Potions, he couldn't handle her genius, at least that's what her friends kept telling her.

"Miss King." The silky voice hissed. She jumped.

"Yes Professor?" She enquired innocently.

"Your potion… is…" He snapped, he really couldn't handle the dark headed girl.

"Done." She smiled. It was, she'd finished twenty minutes ago, allowing her the time to muse. He looked at her sourly.

"I do not believe you Miss King, you may be a Ravenclaw but even _you_ cannot brew Strengthening Solution that quickly." He peered into her cauldron and hated to admit it looked complete.

"Maybe, maybe not Sir." She quipped. Snape did not scare her, because she matched his brains as well as his sarcasm. His eyes narrowed and as he was about to say a harsh comment, Noreen Davis' cauldron exploded. Ava stood up quickly as Snape rushed to the girl whose skin was blistered red raw.

"Miss King, clear the cauldron remains!" He may have hated her but when it came to Potions, she knew what to do. "Mr Bethan get Madame Pomfrey and the rest of you **OUT!**" Snape yelled orders. Ava looked over Noreen worriedly, her friend was in a trance like state, a state that Snape had brought on, in an attempt to hide her from the pain. The rest of the group had left hurriedly with a dark headed boy sprinting in front of them.

Ava pulled her hornbeam wand and waved it in an intricate way, muttering spells all the while, the remains of the potion was sucked in an arc into a bottle she had dipped in her own Strengthening Solution, it would now hold any corrosive potion. The twisted remains of the cauldron rocked close to Snape's back and with a flick Ava pulled it out of his way, just as Madame Pomfrey and Rodney Bethan flew into the room. Rodney hurried out of the doorway as a bewitched case followed them in.

"What a mess." Rodney looked at the twisted hulk of metal.

"Shows how scary Potion making is." Ava sighed as she and Rodney set up the protective spells to blast the wasted cauldron away.

"Does indeed, how's everything Ava?" Rodney looked at her softly. He was her best friend, sat next to each other on the train, both half-bloods on the their mothers' side the two first years became quick and solid friends. He knew of her father's behaviour with a Veela, at least that's where the rest of the family thought the affair lay, it was also with a string of women, witch and muggle alike. Her father Jay didn't seem to care, her mum Miranda was heartbroken and locked herself away.

"Same old, as per usual, I believe Dad's in Guatemala, Mum's in her bedroom." She sang cheerily, but there was no happiness in her tone.

"Cheer up Avvy, you'll find the Prince of your dreams and then live happily ever after." He winked once. There was a spell when Ava and Rodney had dated, but it had been so awkward they stayed friends.

"Rod, the boy in my dream last night was Malfoy." She grinned at him.

He looked at her aghast.

"Dreaming of Malfoy? How disgusting!" Just as Draco walked into potions, Rodney clammed up, the young man scared him, terrified him in fact, ever since he'd stuck him to a tree in their third year.

Draco ignored them, but he'd heard them talking about him, how it was disgusting, why on earth did he feel strangely hurt by their disgust?

Brazenly Ava carried on talking.

"If you say so, it was a rather enjoyable dream." She winked, Rodney looked at her faintly green. "Oh shut up Rodders, you told me about your dreams of the Patil twins, together…" She raised her eyebrows jauntily.

Snape and Madame Pomfrey were just levitating an unconscious Noreen out of the room. The pair hurriedly started cleaning everybody else's potions and ingredients, hoping to be unnoticed. Snape left, only Draco lingered.

"Please! That was a lovely dream, you cannot equate your dream to mine!" Rodney gagged.

"I can and will. It was a good dream, and he was a good man." She said firmly. Rodney was the only one to know of her slight obsession of Draco Malfoy. Before her father entered his midlife crisis, Ava looked for the silver lining in every person and situation, she was such an optimist even a pessimist couldn't be miserable around her. Rodney was disturbed to see his best friend hook her interests on the pale purist, but he let her do whatever she wished.

Draco listened in again and scoffed when he heard her defending him, like he needed a little half blood to defend him.

"No. I refuse to believe that. Shit I'm late for Charms. You've got a free… I'll meet you in the common room?"

"Of course. I'll cook tonight." The pair shared a dormitory, special circumstances because of her home life.

"Fine I'll clear up." He laughed and left. Ava went around each bench, putting each potion into stasis until tomorrow's lesson.

She looked over at the blond boy slouched against one of the counters, seemingly inspecting the pickled creatures that lined the dungeon walls. She admired his physique, kept with years of quidditch training and now emphasised with fitted suits. She took the time to examine his facial features, strong angular but from this angle his eyes looked blue not grey, and as she carried on staring, she barely noticed him turn and stare at her.

"Can I help you?" He drawled, and despite the strong desire to dart her eyes away she played him at his own game.

"No not really." She smiled.

"You're almost as weird as Loony in your house, did you know that?" He sneered.

"I don't understand you Malfoy." Ava ignored him.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I said I don't understand you… why skip the lesson for all but five minutes?"

She rubbed down the desks around Noreen's disaster zone.

"Who said I came in here for lessons?" He laughed.

"So what a cosy catch up with our biggest agony aunt and most sympathetic teacher?"

"I fail to see how my life is any of your business." He said curtly.

She laughed softly and picked up her bag. "Good luck Mr Malfoy." She smiled.

"With..." His face drawn into an ugly sneer.

"Your chat with Snape…" She laughed again, "I'll see you around." She grinned suddenly and slung her bag over her shoulder. She turned to leave as Snape stormed in, cursing Noreen's stupidity.

"You're still here?" He barked at Ava.

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A/N: I've changed the ending because Ava was becoming more like Luna in my head and I didn't want that so I changed it, hope you guys like it!

Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So a complete overhaul of this chapter in an attempt to make it less jumpy and so progressive! Please review, all input is appreciated!

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**Chapter 2**

"Just leaving." She grinned. Snape narrowed his eyes at her, nothing made her that cheerful, she was a nightmare in class, an insufferable know-it-all. "Bye Malfoy." She sang and the two Slytherin's swore she winked at the blond before sauntering out.

Ava swung out of the classroom and wondered what the hell came over her; she was never that flirty and she felt kind of shaky. She needed to clear her head and headed outside to the ruined Eagle Courtyard that overlooked the Black Lake.

She sighed tugging off her robes and baring her legs to the spring sunshine before sitting down on the bench. Bunching her robes under head, Ava undid her grey cardigan and slipped her black pumps and grey socks off. Closing her eyes she replayed her behaviour, and his.

'Arrogant little bastard.' The logical half of her brain snapped but the romantic side of her dreamed, quelling the logic. It was the most conversation she'd had with him…ever!

After meeting him on the journey to Hogwarts, 11 year old Ava's interest had been piqued by the arrogant, narrow minded, pale skinned, blonde boy. Ava was a naturally curious girl and the blonde boy was an enigma to her; something to solve. The five years she'd been working alongside him had yielded nothing notable and it frustrated her, so now this opportunity was not one Ava was going to pass on.

Ava loved the feel of the sunshine on her face and bare arms and legs, the wind whistled outside the courtyard, despite the degradation of the courtyard it was sheltered and the April breeze was non-existent to her.

'What to do about Draco?' She thought to herself, eyes closed to block out another of the senses.

She could transfigure herself but she wouldn't be able to change herself back. An animagus? No it's too much effort she countered. What about bewitching a quill and paper to follow him? Too obvious. Ava hated it when her brain didn't give her the answers she wanted.

While musing to herself, Draco stalked across the courtyard, he barely noticed the girl sunbathing on the bench behind the pillar, he sat on the bench closest to the broken wall and stared out at the Black Lake, whispering to himself.

"For crying out loud." He stood up and kicked the stone bench. "Fucking hell." He muttered now rubbing his big toe and hopping on the spot.

"Do you mind?" Draco whirled to see Ava King propped up on one elbow staring at him. He stared at the raven headed girl who'd raised one eyebrow.

"What?" He snarled.

"Some of us are trying to think, shut up?" She laid back down again, eyes closed, arms folded under her head. He sauntered over to her.

"Is that what you're doing?" He leant over her, blocking her sun.

"Move Malfoy." She smiled without opening her eyes.

"King, you little half-blood look at me when I'm talking to you." He growled. She opened one eye, desperately quelling the blush that threatened to cover her cheeks at his proximity.

"You know Malfoy. If I didn't know better, I'd say this is a good reason for you to look down my shirt." Ava grinned. He narrowed his eyes at her and leant closer.

"What if I say it was?" He whispered.

"I'd say you're not doing that great, you've stared at my face the whole time." She laughed watching him draw back.

"Get out of here King, I'm not in the mood for your shit." He growled sitting down on the bench at the front again. She stood, stretching and gathered her robes, stuffing them into her bag. He turned to stare as heard movement. He watched her cross her legs to slide one sock on, then another, and to pull her little black pumps on as well. He turned away quickly as Ava looked up.

"So, still trying to get a good view Malfoy?" She sauntered over to him and leant down, he looked up, eyes narrowed as she drew closer.

"What do you want King?" He growled, but said nothing as he leant forward as well.

"Not sure yet Malfoy." She whispered, breath ghosting across his lips. She could see the internal battle of whether to close the distance between them. She pulled back, tucking her hair behind her ear and smiled again.

"See you around Malfoy." With that she picked up her bag and left through a ruined archway.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So I've changed the story line.

It's AU completely in that Draco doesn't have to kill Dumbledore, I really didn't want an angst-y story so I am missing that out. Also input it also welcomed!

Many Thanks! Please Review. Much appreciated.

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**Chapter 3**

Draco Malfoy watched the retreating figure, lips tingling. Ava King had been mixed with the other rabble for the past six years, now however she was on his radar.

His meeting with Snape was a little delicate, this meeting was shady and having Ava King witness the meeting was dangerous; she questioned _everything_. Both Slytherin's knew that having Miss King as an issue in tomorrow potions lesson would be a killer. Professor Snape had enlisted his godson in helping locate a certain item for the professor, it was urgent that he'd received it and unfortunately Mundungus Fletcher had only been able to meet during class time.

Draco knew roughly that it was Hydra skin that Snape wanted but for what his godfather had remained tight lipped and Draco knew with his background, Snape would keep it a secret until his grave. He pondered over the hydra skin, it was rare, illegal and dangerous to keep for you often end up with a baby hydra but Draco dismissed it from his mind as he knew Severus would never tell him.

Malfoy couldn't dismiss Ava King from his mind though, he hated her before; she'd excelled at potions and with the occasional top of the class by Granger, she always beat him. Hating Ava, he could do, it was the jealousy and sheer annoyance that she was ridiculously smart, and she knew it, but this behaviour… it most definitely disturbed him; his family name mixed with his own reputation clearly meant nothing to her. She'd flirted him, he was known pureist and here some common little halfblood was attempting to seduce him! Other than that he knew very little about Ava, he knew he needed to find out.

Heading out of the ruined courtyard he went over the conversation again and again, she'd nearly kissed him, and she'd dreamt about him. It clicked that she was smitten and he'd play it to his advantage.

Draco found himself at the library and flung himself into the Slytherin corner of the room, knocking his friend Zabini as he finished a two and half foot charms essay. His dark skinned friend scowled but cleaned the blot, ignoring the brooding blond. Finally the Italian sighed and looked over to his scowling friend.

"What?" he said, blowing on the ink to dry it.

"Yes Zabini?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"_Draco_ what's going on in that head of yours?" Blaise looked at him closer. "Or who for that matter?" He grinned, the smile lighting his handsome features.

"Butt out Blaise." Draco dragged the spare chair with his feet and rested them on it.

"Which girl is it?" Blaise propped himself up on elbow and smiled knowingly. "Have I slept with her?" He enticed Draco in.

"Don't think so." Draco murmured, brow furrowed.

"Hufflepuff house?" Blaise didn't touch many of them. Draco shook his head. "Gryffindor?" Blaise recoiled, another 'no' from Draco. "Ravenclaw then." Knowing he'd slept with most of Slytherin, girls and boys; Blaise wasn't biased. Flicking through the year group Blaise couldn't find one that'd disturb his best friend so much. "I give in who is it?" He huffed.

"What do you know about Ava King?" Draco leant forward on the table, Blaise covered his surprise well, Ava was not one of Draco's usual types, nor did his best friend normally give a shit about their lives before he fucked them.

"Ava King, our year. Ravenclaw house, smart arse and annoys the shit out of Snape. Why?" Theodore Nott came round the corner, arms full of books.

"She's the latest." Blaise leant back on two chair legs, feet propped on the desk, arms tucked behind his head, he smirked at Draco's frown.

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A/N: So yeah, hope you like the little change, if there's any other characters you want just review them or inbox me and I'll try to work them in!

Anyway thanks for reading! If you can leave me a little review that'd be great!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Well hello again for this story, I know it's been about three months for this one, but this is my only in progress one and Draco has been out of my reach at the moment, but he's back for now. So please enjoy part four of this and Review me if this little one makes sense or not. Many thanks.

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While Draco mused in the library Ava was helping Luna rescue yet another pair of Converse from the rafters. The bright turquoise and green pair, tied together at the laces, hooked over one of the wooden planks and damn near impossible to get off even with magic.

"One of us will have to go up." Ava growled as her spell bounced off the rafters for the fifth time.

"I'm scared of heights." Luna whispered, her face already paling at the thought of going up so high.

"Okay. You're going to have to lift me up Luna." Ava sighed, tying her dark curls out of the way, dumping her bag under a bench, waiting for the blonde to levitate her.

Just as Ava had untied the Converse and threw them down for Luna, Pansy Parkinson's grating laugh echoed in the corridor. She felt Luna's spell fade as Parkinson and her friends blasted the Ravenclaw out of the way, luckily Ava had secured herself to the rafter and managed to wrap herself around it to hold on.

"So that's one of four pairs we've hidden, these were the easiest to get to." Pansy sneered as Luna pulled herself upright against the brick wall. "What do we have up here then? Ava King, filthy half blood traitor…stuck. What a perfect day." She laughed again, Ava felt her grasp slipping, her wand inaccessible unless she wanted to fall first, she watched helpless from her vantage point as they immobilised Luna and left, their sniggers echoing in the hallway.

"Shit." Ava screamed to the empty corridor. She needed someone to pass by and help Luna, who'd then help her. Instantly her knight in shining armour was Malfoy, in her head, but he'd never stop to help Luna, probably just add to it, hang her upside down or something.

"Talking to yourself again?" She heard a voice she couldn't have been more thankful for; Rodney.

"Stop teasing, just get me down!" Ava yelled. She heard Rodney's laugh before carefully lowering her down and freeing Luna.

"I'm sorry Ava." The blonde sighed. "You don't need to help me find any of the others."

"Don't be stupid Luna." Rodney pulled the girl into a hug. "It'll be three looking now instead of two." He smiled. Ava raised an eyebrow at her best friend over Luna's shoulder and fought back a laugh as her best friend gave her a sheepish smile. His grin resembled that of a Cheshire cat as his arms remained around Luna's slight form.

"Honestly Luna, don't worry about it, it's fine. We'll look for the next pair after lunch?" Ava squeezed her friend's hand, grabbed her stuff and turned shakily back towards the Library; she didn't like heights that much and had no conceivable idea why she'd volunteered in the first place. 'Should've put me in goddamn Gryffindor for the mindless bravery and chivalry' she growled to herself as she sat down at a library table, head in hands.

"Oh Drakie it was brilliant, we blasted that freaky Looney and that know it all brat King, should've seen them! It was fab, I've never had so much fun in one day." Pansy smirked as she ran her hands around his neck, playing with the tufts of his hair. Normally she was able to sneak one or two kisses but he would barely put his arms around her.

"Pansy, go terrorise a Hufflepuff, or your mirror with the way you look." Blaise snarled as she knocked his ink pot for the fourth time.

"Screw yourself Zabini." She growled back.

"I do on regular occasions, my right hand and me get along juuuust fine. Now leave." When Blaise gets really mad, his voice drops about three octaves and becomes deadly quiet. Taking the hint Pansy left with a few barely repeatable curses.

"Draco…" Theo sang as the blond watched Pansy's vanishing figure with interest.

"What!" He snapped as he was pulled from his thoughts.

"Are you gonna go and find her and stop being such a prick to us?" Blaise finally blew on the ink to dry it and rolled the parchment up; the essay had taken far too long.

"Why would I?"

"Stop being a prick, who knows? Go find her." Blaise growled and propped his feet up on the table, massaging his wrist from writing too much.

"Why? She's only going to be a quick shag, nothing more." Draco mirrored his friend's posture.

"She's clever enough to sort herself out." Theo snorted. Blaise and Draco raised an eyebrow, questioning their friend. "She's been sat two tables down from us for about ten minutes now." Theo laughed, skimming through an astrology tome. Draco turned his head so quick he jarred his neck, massaging the tendons, he looked at the dark haired Ravenclaw, head down, books still in her bag.

"You know." A smooth voice made her jump. "A library is not to sleep, but to work." Ava stared up into blue grey eyes and felt words fail her, she let her head flump back down onto her crossed arms, face turned away from the Slytherin boy.

Draco had seen the gaunt look in Ava's face, he'd never seen someone as pale as she'd been.

"King?" He muttered.

"Just leave me alone Malfoy." She said from between her arms.

"King, look at me." He growled as she turned away from him again, she turned to look up at him again, a little colour had returned but not much; she looked grey, her green eyes dark and tired.

"Malfoy, you're notorious for not giving a shit so leave me alone." Ava grabbed her bag, stood up on unsteady legs and left again.

"Well." Blaise clapped Draco on the back. "That went well." The dark skinned Italian sniggered while Theo tried to hide his giggles behind his hand.

"Thanks guys." Draco turned on them.

"Look whatever Pansy did, must've been real bad for sweet little Ava to turn nasty, nothing. I repeat nothing pisses that girl off." Blaise rocked on his chair again.

"How do you know?" Draco quirked an eyebrow.

"She was my Runes partner and tutor for six months; nothing I did ever annoyed her, and I came pretty damn close in almost doing lessons stark naked just to get a reaction out of her. Luckily I didn't, most people would pay to see what's beneath these trousers." Blaise frowned as Theo snorted.

"Blaise, most people have seen what's beneath those trousers." The Slytherin coughed with laughter.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Well it's been a long time in the running but my latest favourite and follow (thank you very much) made me realise that I had started this chapter, but it needed some fine-tuning. This tuning isn't of the grammatical checking sort so all mistakes are my own and I apologise profusely! Anyway this long time in the making chapter is finally churned out! Thank you. Enjoy :)

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Ava hated being snappy with anyone but being so high up had shaken her. No-one other than Rodney knew the number of times her mum had tried to kill herself since she found her husband in bed with Veela. Their three-story Georgian town house had had a balcony for the roof garden and well if it wasn't for Ava's magic aunt Nadia… it'd been Ava that had grabbed her mother's hand when she flung herself off the balcony. At 16 Ava was still haunted by the insane look in her mother's eyes as she dangled below her while Ava clung to the rail, desperate to save both their lives.

Safe to say, it'd left her with a little fear of heights, and a feeling of helplessness – she hadn't been allowed to save her mother with her magic and hadn't been able to save Luna with her magic. It'd shaken her.

She went to bed that night, barely speaking a word to Luna or Rodney - who were squished together on an armchair in their dorm - unable to remove the image that had etched itself behind her eyes, even as she attempted to sleep. Her dreams echoed the horrifying memories.

All night she'd replayed over her ordeal with Luna and with her mother, the two memories colliding making one sweat inducing nightmares that kept sleep from her reach.

"Are you okay Ava?" A voice had broken through her haze of memories as she walked from the highest tower of the school. She'd sworn to herself that she conquered the fear of heights but clearly today wasn't going to be her day, judging by the nightmares and the arrival of Blaise Zabini.

The dark skinned boy had strolled up next to her, she was barely aware that he was assessing her, looking for what Draco saw in her – granted she was pretty but not insanely hot, her beauty had to be observed, it wasn't thrown in your face as soon as you walked past her. But Blaise also saw the dark circles around her eyes and the paleness of her skin still, the haunted look did not suit her.

"Do I have a Slytherin magnet stuck to my back?" Ava walked faster, shaking her head to dispel the collection of images.

"You have a nice arse, could that account for it?" Blaise smirked as she sat down on the stone bench.

"I doubt Pansy Parkinson is interested in my arse." She held her head in her hands; Ava forgot it was Blaise she was talking to. In the time that he had become her Runes partner, the pair had grown as close as their blood allegiance would allow – he'd ignore her in the corridor still but he wasn't openly scathing towards Ava anymore.

"What happened?" He asked quietly sitting beside her.

"Put it this way I'm scared of heights and I can tell you how many cobwebs and spiders there are in the West Corridor roof." Ava refused eye contact with the dark Italian.

"How scared are you Ava?" He murmured, hovering between holding her hand as she shook.

"Goodbye Zabini." She picked up her school bag and left, half expecting the boy to grab her wrist or entrap her with another spell; she walked a lot faster to the care of Magical Creatures than she'd done before.

When Potions came around the week after Ava had not only managed to avoid Draco but the majority of the Slytherin's, Pansy and her little troll gang included. But it had been an incredibly bad week; she'd barely slept, she looked even worse than before and her best friend was currently wrapped around the crazy kid of Ravenclaw.

It wasn't until after lunch that Blaise shared his information with Draco and Theo, sprawled out on the sofas in the empty common room.

"She must be really scared of heights, the West Wing corridor's one of the lowest, granted it's still pretty high but that's got to be a real phobia there." Theo said, the crook of his legs over the arm of the sofa he was stretched out on.

Draco looked at the Monster through the glass walls that lined their Common Room, he watched it swish its tail, and catch a passing fish in its mouth with a lazy snap of the jaws. He barely heard what his two best friends were saying; he was more thinking about the strange raven headed girl.

"Do you reckon she'd be a decent shag?" Blaise snuck in, a highly smug look adorning his face as Draco turned to glare at him. "Sorry do you have dibs?" He asked innocently.

"Something like that." Draco gritted his teeth.

"Well you never called it." Blaise smiled, giving him the look of a predator, but one that would make most girls drop their knickers.

"Well I do call it." He growled.

"Good, look Draco, I know Ava's pretty… special… but if you haven't fucked her by the end of the term, you owe me," Blaise stood and grinned again, "Let's say you owe me 30 galleons."

Draco raised his eyebrow as if dared to be challenged by Zabini on his sexual prowess.

"By Easter." Three weeks away. "I'll have Ava King's white knickers as a trophy." He grinned and Theo could only laugh as the two boys shook on it.

"You're presuming she's a virgin." Theo grinned as he made himself comfy on the dark green sofas again, sensing when both boys eyes suddenly flicked to him. "She lost it to Anthony Goldstein when they dated over the summer or something." He never took his eyes off his book as he spoke and could almost feel the crackle of testosterone in the air.

"Fine, if I can't have her virginal whites, I will make her a notch on my scarred bed post." Draco grumbled, finding out she wasn't a virgin had irked him somewhat, why though he had no idea.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Well hello you wonderful people. This is a new direction with a slightly nastier Draco, I hope you like it, drop me a review if you don't and we'll work it out! Anyway this is a short one but the whole of it's planned out and being written at the moment so you fabulous people... please review and enjoy!

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"Hey Ava." Theo smiled at the brunette as she waited by the library door. Draco seethed as he watched his friend chat with his latest mark. The two apparently were potion partners and although it was innocent, Draco had no idea that Ava and Theo were such good friends but the Slytherin nerd was clearly in with Ava. He watched her point to a patch of purple in the girl's hair, Ava looked angry and flicked her wand changing it back before glaring around the room. She caught Draco's eye but looked away before the blonde could even turn on a smile. Theo and Ava left the library together and Draco growled before turning back to a smirking Blaise who he punched in the arm.

"Ava what if I tell you I've got a friend who likes you?" Theo murmured as they sat down in a study room.

"I'd tell you you're insane… as usual Theo." Ava tossed back her dark hair before turning to stare hard at her unlikely friend. "And I'd ad… did Blaise put you up to this?!"

"You fancy Blaise?!" Theo looked startled but relaxed when she shook her head.

"No! No, it just seems like Blaise's kind of trick to get a girl into bed. He did it with Marietta or was it Cho? Well whichever it was… it worked apparently. Sorry he's your friend I don't mean to bad mouth him." Ava stopped suddenly. Whatever it was about her and Theo's secret friendship, inner nerd-ness, she found herself talking too easily.

"Well you're my friend too. You're the girl that gives me the best advice and well my inner nerd adores how fast your brain works." Theo grinned as Ava did the pair a sight for sore eyes at the inter house spirit.

"Theo sometimes you're just too sensitive to have been put into Slytherin." She smiled but watched her unlikely companion hesitate.

"I should've been in Hufflepuff." He whispered and watched her face for reaction. "I begged the hat to put me in Slytherin…my family would've killed for me to be a puff."

"You should've been a badger." Ava smiled softly. "Snakes are dangerous but Badgers are vicious. Regardless though we have a potion project to do and ... Your friends are coming over so I'm out of here. The last thing I need is Malfoy taking the piss out of his girlfriend's little tricks. Ready?" She nodded not waiting for an answer as Zabini and Malfoy swaggered over. "Seriously Nott stop fooling around we meet after dinner to get this project done." Ava snapped and left.

"Where's she go?!" Draco sat down and watched her retreating figure.

"Leave her alone Draco." Theo said warily.

"Oh yes. You two are very chummy. Worming your way in there are you Nott?!" Draco spat.

"What is your problem Draco?" Theo huffed and stared at the livid blonde. "She's not just a girl you can fuck with."

"Since when did you care Theo?" Blaise watched his friend in interest.

"She's been through shit Blaise. Her mum is a mental case and her dad's a terminal adulterer. She had to save her mum from a roof top jump, that's why she's scared of heights. That's what made Pansy's prank so much worse for her, she's terrified of heights because all Ava sees is her mum's insane face as she dangles over a three storey house." Theo explained quietly and watched Draco's face whirl through a myriad of emotions. "Don't fuck with her Draco. She's too fragile for it." Theo stood up and left with a curt nod to his two friends.

"Now that sounds like usable information." Draco smiled, his predator grin making even Blaise uneasy.

"Drake mate, that's just low even for you. To use sensitive information against her… all so you can get your end away?" Blaise looked at him. "This may be a bet but if I was you, I'd rather lose that bet than stoop to that." The dark skinned Italian looked disgusted at his friend and walked off shaking his head, leaving Draco planning how to win over feisty little Ava King and get her into his bed, ultimately winning him that bet.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: A fair, warnable worthy amount of swearing. I should apologise for the stupendously long delay between chapters but Uni had sucked out my creative muse and trampled it. Only now is it recovering. Enjoy. (warning there is also fair amount of OC in this chapter because it needed filling please see the complaints department if you dislike this)

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**Chapter 7**

Ava had been home for Easter; she needed out of Hogwarts. She was thoroughly confused at school, everything had rocked her boat and she was unsure if she was sinking or not. Rodney and Luna were wrapped up in a little couple bubble which was cute but sickening, it also meant that she lost her two best friends in one fell swoop. She spoke to other people; Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott were two of a small collection of friends but it just wasn't the same.

For example they both fancied the hell out of Draco Malfoy, he was a popular man to the ladies. While Rodney would've pulled faces but listened as a neutral party, both Susan and Hannah were flabbergasted, excited with just a hint of jealousy that Malfoy had spoken to her.

She's got home to her crazy mother and exhausted aunt who'd greeted her at Kings Cross with a smile and a tender hug that her mother just couldn't muster anymore. Her mother hadn't even come to see her at the station, it was Aunt Lindy instead of Mother. It was Aunt Lindy that hugged her, and took her luggage with Mistletoe, her little ginger cat peering out of the top of the bag and it was Aunt Lindy that took her to the new bungalow in Mersea that wasn't home but stopped most of Miranda's suicide attempts.

She spent a mixed Easter with the family, Miranda was a lost cause now that Jay had disappeared to Brazil, or so she thought. But Aunt Lindy made her days better than if she was on her own.

"Is it time to put Mum in St Mungos?" Ava murmured watching her dark haired mother sitting and humming to herself.

"She goes every Thursday to see a specialist mediwitch, but it's a pretty new branch of magic and they're not too sure what's made her …" Lindy broke off and pasted on a smile as Miranda looked over to the pair of them, still vacantly but she saw them.

"Come on Mum, time for bed." Ava also pasted on the smile before spending the rest of the night munching Honeydukes chocolate watching a muggle DVD.

"Anyone special yet Ava?" Lindy asked when her mother was locked away.

"Well there's somebody but Rodney doesn't like him, and I don't think you'd like him either…" Ava concentrated on the chocolate in her hand.

"He's a Slytherin isn't he Ava?" Lindy hummed, Ava could hear the amusement in her voice. "Ever since you were little you could only ever see the good in people Ava. It was what made you a remarkable child. That and you used to levitate your toys to your pram…" Lindy chuckled before turning to face Ava, pulling her niece towards her. "If you're sure he is as pure hearted as you think he is Ava then go ahead, but please look after yourself before them."

.o.o.o.

It was two weeks into Easter that Rodney came to visit, thankfully without Luna and the pair spent the day at the beach, wrapped up against the chill but sunning quite happily.

They also travelled back to London with one another, the pair both revelling in muggle transport being half-bloods and used to the breakable overground and buses.

"Ava what's up you've barely spoken." Rodney looked at her, ignoring the looks of the muggles around when they heaved their cases off the muggle train and down the stairs to the tubes.

"I've been thinking Rodney." Ava didn't offer any more details until they were at the edge of Kings Cross. "I was thinking about Malfoy. I had letters from Theo." She ignored Rodney's face. "Saying to stay away from Malfoy but I don't know…"

"I don't see the fascination Avvie but I gave up trying to understand how you can remain so positive…" Rodney smirked and nudged her with an elbow as they headed towards their platform.

"There's something good in him, I can see it. But it's fading." Ava heard Luna's faraway giggle before the whimsical blonde appeared at their side, and the three made their way towards a carriage.

"Oi Looney!" Pansy's voice cut through the hubbub and made Ava cringe, Rodney linked Ava's other arm and dragged them into a carriage. Shutting the door against Pansy's screeching voice.

.o.o.o.

It had been tense between Draco and Theo with Blaise stuck in the middle. Blaise had known Draco was a little shit but honestly, he didn't think Draco was that low.

"Snakes crawl on their bellies Blaise, that's as low as we can get – I **want** Ava King." Draco growled. The little Ravenclaw had released an absolute daemon inside of him and he couldn't control the need for her pulsing in him. Draco was fucked off, he was intensely annoyed to discover that his friends knew little Ava.

But obviously he couldn't tell Blaise and Theo just how much he despised them for the easiness around King but his mood was foul and he swaggered around the castle like he owned it. When he came back to Hogwarts from Easter, his trunk loaded with expensive family gifts he barged his way out of the carriage when it arrived at Hogsmede and flopped down in one of the carriages. Only Pansy and Daphne Greengrass followed. Draco didn't bother to wonder where his supposed two best friends were, he just brooded in the corner, listening to Pansy simper and rub his arm while Daphne looked sympathetic.

"…such bad best friends to leave you alone. I even saw them talking to that little rat Ava King. Filthy little half blood." Daphne nodded at Pansy's harsh words and Draco sat up and paid attention.

"Blaise and Theo did what?" Draco looked at the pug faced girl in front of him.

"Drakey, they were chatting with King when you left the platform, did you not see?" She pouted and leant closer towards Draco, hoping to console him … sexually anyway. Draco said nothing, he looked out of the window with anger glinting in his eyes.

When they reached the castle and filed in Draco grabbed Blaise and Theo and dragged them off, his fury was so great he didn't even realise Ava was standing with them before Rodney herded her away.

Sat at the Ravenclaw table Rodney watched his best friend do her usual thing, she stared intently at the Slytherin table but for the first time there was no hopeful look on her face when her eyes fell on Draco Malfoy. Instead there was anger and concern.

"What's wrong Ava?" Luna asked, also picking up on the black vibes emanating from the brunette.

"You know how I always see the light in people?" The pair nodded. "Well Malfoy's light is fading. Fast."

.o.o.o.

"What happened in that damn carriage?!" Draco hissed.

"Forget us Draco, what the fuck has happened to you?" Blaise kept his voice low as the headteacher delivered their speech.

"What do you mean, I'm perfectly fine."

"FINE?!" Blaise almost shouted. "Fine?! You are not fine Draco, before Easter you almost simpered at the idea of having Ava King in your bed, now you're like some bloody animal, sure on possessing her and jealously guarding her like the dragons do at Gringotts. What the fuck has changed it?! You discover that you actually have two more people to help you bed the delightful Ava and you act like some … green eyed beast." Blaise's voice tapered off and watched Draco's reaction. "You're jealous of the fact Theo and I know her." His face was serious for a moment and then a small smirk appeared on his face. "You are a fucking moron." Then he started snorting with laughter, much to Draco's chagrin and anger. In fact by the time the feast began Draco had his wand tip pressed into Blaise's ribs who was still snickering.

"Yes you are. Get over yourself." Theo grumbled and pulled the chicken drumsticks towards him.

"I'm not jealous." Draco said stubbornly, withdrawing his wand.

"You are Draco. Ava King is staring at you." Blaise whispered and Draco's eyes swept over to the Ravenclaw table and indeed Ava was staring at him, a dark brown mass of curls covered part of her eyes but he was unnerved at the stare she was giving him.

"Is it me or is Ava trying to read your soul?" Blaise murmured, also staring at the brunette.

"It's what she does." Theo said through a mouthful of chicken. "You get used to her occasional stares." Draco had watched the girl's gaze flick to what looked like Theo, Pansy, Blaise, Daphne then around the room before settling back on him.

"She looks concerned." Draco shrugged and smiled at her, his most winning smile that had girls dropping their knickers and jumping into his bed. Not Ava though, her stare was intense and piercing it made Draco squirm. Nothing made Draco squirm.


	8. Chapter 8

A.N: Totally au here! I know it's been a very long long long time but I thought I'd get this chapter out thanks to a guest review (thank you very much for kicking me up the backside) and publish this little number before getting ready for work and some hard uni revision!

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**Chapter 8**

"Did you like what you saw at dinner Ava?" Draco appeared from nowhere as she headed back to her dorm. She stopped in the corridor and took a deep breath, inhaling his cologne, the scent sparking memories from somewhere else. His pale fingers trailed down from the shell of her ear, down her throat, over her shoulders and down her arms. He spun her around, and the illusion shattered. Ava screamed as Draco grabbed hold of her and forced her against the nearest wall. The corridor was dark and there were no students around. As Ava struggled against his stronger form she realised there was no light emanating from Draco's heart; it was like a black hole that was threatening to destroy her world.

"Get off me." She snarled as his fingers bit into her arms. She was greeted with the serpent of his school badge as he pressed his chest to her face.

"Now where's my playful little Ava gone?" He sneered and forced her against the stone even more so.

"Malfoy." She screamed and wrestled with his grip on her wrists. He was much stronger than her, years of quidditch practise had made him lean to the touch but Ava felt nothing but fear as his features twisted in anger.

"Ava, please. It's Daddy!" Draco leered and Ava shut her eyes as Draco came closer.

She was in her dorm, covered in sweat and breathing as though she'd just run a 5k race without the Weasley Wonder Workout Shoes.

Holy crap.

It was a dream. Nothing more than a dream, but the image of her father's face twisted with Draco's frightened the life out of her. Slipping from her bed she tugged on the dressing gown and slipped to her common room. She didn't understand it; she wasn't terrified of her father, he hadn't beaten her or anything but he had changed her life completely. Jay King had rocked what happy life she had known to the foundations when he ditched her mother. What did Malfoy have to do with it?

Sitting on one of the squishy chairs Ava stared at the dying embers of the fire before flicking her gaze to the window. The quarters she shared with Rodney were just under the Ravenclaw dorms, so she was still part of the tower and the view from the rooms were breath-taking. Pressing her face to the cold glass she sighed, was there ever going to be a term when her parents didn't haunt her nightmares.

.o.o.o.

Draco saw Ava slip into the Great Hall at breakfast the next morning, Blaise was right he'd been letting the green eyed monster get to him over Ava King. It hadn't quite gone but it was receding somewhat.

He was hoping to charm Ava with a smile but she never even glanced at him during Breakfast and way before it was even finished she disappeared from the bench.

"What's up with King?" Draco turned to Blaise who shrugged.

"Theo'll probably find out, they have Herbology first thing." Blaise went back to finishing his breakfast while Draco fought another bout of jealousy that Blaise knew the girl's timetable so easily.

"Dracoooo" Pansy simpered as she sat herself in the blonde's lap, much to his chagrin. He didn't miss the dirty look Pansy threw at Blaise. "Why don't you come and sit with my girls and I, rather than sully yourself with Slytherin's who talk to blood traitors?" She hissed, her barbed comment aimed directly at Blaise who snorted.

"Haven't you noticed Parkinson?" Blaise laughed. "Most of the blood traitors are hotter than you, so if I want a bit of decent eye candy and a good shag I have to stoop to blood traitors." He sniggered and left with a wave of his fingers.

"Blaise!" Draco called desperately but the Italian bastard just whistled and left with the majority of the people filing out towards their lessons.

"Come on Drakeyy, let's skip the first class for the broom cupboard." She grinned, running her fingers under his collar up his neck before tracing a talon-ended finger over his lips. Hastily Draco stood and left without another word to the girl he'd just thrown on the floor. "Draco!" Pansy screeched as the blond fled to charms.

.o.o.o.

Ava had barely noticed that Theo had saved her fingers three times from the digit munching Phaladentes plant. She wasn't aware of his concerned glances and when she headed to her free for the second period she didn't even say goodbye. She thought about heading to the library but this called for a courtyard moment.

Heading back to the courtyard where she'd first really interacted with Malfoy seemed a good idea to think out her bizarre, possibly prophetic dream about him.

Bunching her robes under head again, Ava closed her eyes and felt the sun warm up various parts of her body. Ava relied on the sun to keep her own soul light; it usually worked and she could feel the solar energy working out the kinks and black spots that had been plaguing her.

Malfoy. What was wrong with him? When he came back from Easter his light was barely even there, it was faded, like a candle on its last legs. However since he'd come back to Hogwarts it was stronger again, though it was tinged with green.

"Hello Ava." A voice came from an archway.

Malfoy. Great.

His very voice made her skin crawl and there was nothing but the image of a serpent as she cracked an eyelid open to see his form lit up in the sun. There was the light above his heart, pale green and not as strong as she'd like.

"Hello." She whispered back and felt his shadow cover her own light.

"I wanted to come and say hi."

"Which you've done." Ava said still tense, the images of her dream overlaying on reality. Draco noticed her rigid posture and wondered how he was going to crack this nut. Actually _why_ he wanted to crack this nut was the question that passed through his head. "Malfoy I don't understand what's going on." She opened her eyes, a wash of confidence rolling over her, banishing the dream … for now.

"What do you mean?" The Slytherin was sat on the bench by the balcony edge again, but this time he was facing her, with a bemused expression on his face.

"You're a purist. I'm a half blood. I'm a blood traitor, not fit to wipe the mud from your shoes. Why do you care?" She said everything without a drop of venom, confusion colouring her words and Draco was stumped for a few moments.

"Well." His arrogant façade in place. "If you're good enough for Blaise and Theo I might as well see." He sneered at her and watched the confusion disappear and anger replace it in her green eyes. They darkened very quickly from their usual grass green and her features contorted with the fury running through her body.

"No wonder you're in such a dark place Malfoy. When you learn to get the snake out of your heart maybe you'll be able to see what Blaise and Theo can see in people. You're nothing more than a damn purist bastard." She hissed. Ava was on her feet as her rant ran through her body, boiling her blood, her fists curling at her side, one around her wand. Draco was stunned.

"What the hell do you mean?!" He was stood as well now, his own eyes darkened with anger.

She jabbed a finger in his chest over his heart and feel the darkness threaten to consume her body.

"You are a dark hearted person Malfoy." She growled, the anger fading as she fought against the evil emanating from him. "You've got a snake buried deep in your heart, banning you from happiness." She whispered and pulled her hand away. She said nothing more as she gathered her bag and robes and left the courtyard again, the taint of evil crawling over her skin.

Draco said nothing, his hand creeping to lay over his own heart, feeling its beat and wondering how she could see through the arrogance to the scared little boy beneath.


End file.
